Detention
by mrsmalfoy18
Summary: Hermione makes an unexpected friend in the Hospital Wing


"Detention Mr. Malfoy." Draco rolled his eyes. After all his family donated to this damn school you'd think they'd give him a bit of a break. But he gave an annoyed sigh and took the punishment anyway. He'd have to help out Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. How irritating. If he got sick his father would hear about this. They could be sure of that.

That afternoon Draco walked into the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey looked him up and down. "No funny business understand? Every patient here is to be treated the exact same way." "Sure." He said. "Very well, head on in, anything she needs you're to see to it. I have other patients to worry about. I'll come back later to take a blood sample." Draco nodded to show he understood. He made his way across the long rows of beds and when he saw the patient he'd be dealing with, he nearly threw up. Not Granger. Of all people. This wasn't detention. It would be torture. Even Potter would've been a better option than her. She was stuck up, snobbish and a know it all.

Hermione couldn't help the wretched cough that consumed her. She wanted nothing more than for it to stop. She couldn't sleep and the room felt like it was a thousand degrees. Every time she kicked off the covers, Madam Pomfrey smashed her efforts by tucking her back in. And in Hermione's state, kicking off the covers was about all she could manage before becoming completely exhausted once again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she heard as a menacing shadow draped her sheets. She could only groan in reply. Why was Malfoy here? To taunt her? Couldn't Pomfrey kick him out? She didn't need this right now. She needed a way to soothe her pounding head and calm her burning lungs. "Don't you know it's rude to not reply Granger?" he spat out, rather annoyed. "I'm dyyy….iiingg.." she chattered. "P-p-please leave me alonnne."

Draco felt bad suddenly. He'd been sick like that before. Everyone has. And you just feel like shit. All you want is some soup and lots of water. Maybe even a bit of salt our spice to soothe the burning in your throat. Without thinking, he felt her forehead with the back of his hand. She closed her eyes. She was _burning._ "Jesus Granger. That's not good." Again, she could only groan, teeth clenched. Draco noticed a little water basin two stations down. He grabbed it along with a hand towel. "Aguamenti." He moistened the towel and wringed out the excess water. He placed the damp cloth on her head. She seemed to clench the sheets tighter.

Hermione had no idea what was happening but she couldn't be more grateful. This was exactly what she needed. Maybe Draco Malfoy wasn't so bad after all. Or, the fever had caused her to go mental and this was all in her head. Surely he'd walk away after this though. He had no reason to be in the hospital wing anyway. It wasn't long before she fell into a convolution of dreams. They were dizzying and confusing and felt more like a trap than an escape. At one point she felt as though she couldn't breathe at all.

"When she wakes up give her two teaspoons of this." Madam Pomfrey set down some sort of concoction on the night stand. Draco nodded. "Fever again?" she asked, nodding at the wet rag on her forehead. Draco nodded, touching her cheek to check again. "But it's going down now I think." Draco rinsed the rag again in an attempt to cool her temperature.

Hermione awoke in a cold sweat. She tried to sit up but was stopped. "Whoa hey now," The rag fell off her face. The pounding from all the built up pressure in her head was almost too much to bear. She coughed twice, and with a miserable face tried to motion for the tissues. Draco didn't miss a beat, handing them to her almost instantly. Hermione was widely aware of the completely disgusting sound she had made blowing her nose. But she was too sick to care. She threw the used tissue in the general direction of the waste basket. She laid her head back onto the pillow. The congestion seemed to adjust to this new position. But by no means did it get better. "Ughh." She sounded like a man in her opinion. "Do you want some water?" Draco asked. She looked at him, eyes heavy with sleep. "How long was I asleep?" "Only about twenty minutes." She closed her eyes in frustration. Then, with his help, she sat back up to drink some water. "Thank goodness it's cold." She groaned. "You're supposed to take two teaspoons of this…stuff." Draco said, undoing the cap. Hermione made a face. "Oh god no. Please. It's horrid." "Doctor's orders." He said, practically shoving it into her mouth. Hermione nearly gagged but downed it anyway. If she spit it out Pomfrey would know.

Draco tried his absolute best to not look grossed out. But this was servant stuff. And he wasn't used to it. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "It's alright." He said unconvincingly. Hermione scoffed. "What're you doing here anyway?" she asked. "Detention." He answered. She couldn't help but chuckle. "What a terrible punishment." She sighed. Draco shrugged. "Not so bad." She looked at him. He was so out of character. He looked at her. She looked so human then. So real. Hair pulled into a bun, out of her face. Some loose curly strands hanging out at the edges. The small bags under her eyes. The pink pigment on her nose. But her eyes were absolutely shining. As though filled with some child-like hope that mommy would come and make it all better. It was strangely refreshing.

"So how long's your sentence?" she asked, snapping him back. "Um, I'm not sure." He said. She closed her eyes once more. "Do you know how I could get some soup?" she asked, coughing some more. "Probably the kitchen." "Oh, thanks I'll just walk right over there." Draco rolled his eyes. Sick as a dog this one and she still had that atrocious sarcasm. "Honestly Granger do you want me to call my damn house elf for you?" "I'm completely against house elves. It's not right. But if I had a paid house elf, I'd ask him to bring me some tortilla soup." "As you wish." Though she didn't hear that part. Because she had, once again, fallen into sleep.

When she awoke, it was to the sound of a tray being placed down on her nightstand. "Thank you." Draco said. Hermione grumbled, and the smell of spice and soup filled her nose. She sat up, though it took effort. "Don't tell me you have a personal house elf at Hogwarts." She rubbed her head. "Doesn't everybody?" She looked at him. Her face was tired and unimpressed. "Here," Draco said, putting the tray on his lap and filling the spoon. "You need to eat before midnight. Pomfrey is out for blood in the morning." He laughed at his own joke. Hermione gave him an incredulous look. "Are you really gonna spoonfeed me?" "Well you can hardly sit up without help." He reasoned. "Why are you doing this?" "Detention." "Well this is rather above and beyond." She said. "Can you try to not be such a spoiled ingrate? I don't see Potter or Weasley helping." She lowered her head. "They stopped by this afternoon." She reasoned. Draco raised an eyebrow. Hermione sighed. "Well Harry's busy. And Ron has Lavender to worry about. And heaven forbid they be apart." Hermione sounded annoyed. "Oh god can those two break up already? It's absolutely disgusting. If I have to hear 'Won Won' come out of her bitch ass mouth one more time I will shoot somebody." Hermione couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from her. "I'm so glad I'm not the only one." "The only one? Hermione, all of Hogwarts is praying for the end of the Won Won. In fact there's an alter set up, people are actually sacrificing goats to the gods. It's down by the room of requirement, can't miss it." Hermione couldn't stop laughing. This was not the Draco Malfoy she knew.

When she settled down there was an awkward pause. Draco cleared his throat. "Well, open up," his teeth showed in a sort of half smile as he brought the spoon up to her chapped lips. She sipped it up. After swallowing, she said, "You didn't poison this did you?" He scoffed and refilled the spoon. "No," he shook his head and again brought the spoon to her lips. "Though if you were Potter, maybe." She looked at him as she continued to eat the soup. There was definitely something different about him. His grey eyes didn't look so sharp anymore. They were kind of soft around the edges. "Why do you hate him so much?" she asked. He rolled his eyes. "Doesn't everyone? He's so bloody annoying. Why do you love him so much?" "He's a good friend," she asserted, having another spoonful of soup. "That's good I guess. Everyone needs friends." Though he didn't sound convinced. "Ok. Well, since you're here, tell me about yourself." She said eagerly. "What do you mean?" he dipped the spoon into the bowl. "Why are you being so nice? You haven't called me mudblood once. What's your favorite color? What'd you do to get stuck in detention? And what is up with you and that Pansy?" He looked at her for a moment, letting the spoon clink with the bowl.

"Blue." He said shortly. She blinked a few times. "Mine is green." She said. He nodded. "Why blue?" she tilted her head. "It's relaxing." He brought the spoon to her lips once more. She nodded. Again, a slight pause. He took a deep breath. "I was making paper airplanes." She giggled. "Were you really?" he nodded. "I was bored." She shook her head, smiling. "That's rather childish, wouldn't you say?" His eyes narrowed. "Watch it Granger, maybe I will poison your food." She laughed again. "Oh please do, gets me out of drinking that revolting concoction Pomfrey makes." He chuckled lightly. He spun the spoon around in the bowl, not looking at her. "As to why I'm being so nice…I don't know. I guess it's because no one is around." She looked at him, her eyes soft. "Someone once said, who you really are is the way you are when no one's watching." Draco nodded, still not looking at here. "That dark mark doesn't define you Draco." Her hand reached out to his wrist. He shook her off and began to feed her again. "Don't get me started on Pansy. She's a clingy bitch."

Hermione understood the change in subject. She didn't imagine he'd want to talk about being a Death Eater. Even though everybody knew. "Is she really?" He raised an eyebrow and shot her a look as if to say 'really?' She laughed.

It was then that Madam Pomfrey entered. She looked from the soup to Hermione. "So you've been eating?" Hermione nodded. Pomfrey sighed. "Very well," she said. "Finish up. No eating after midnight. I'll take your blood sample in the morning. You're free to go now Mr. Malfoy." With that, she left. Draco put the bowl down by the nightstand and stood up. That's when he noticed Hermione. She looked like she might throw up. Oh god. He didn't want to clean that up. "Um, are you all right?" She looked at him, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard. "Huh?...Oh. Me, yeah I'm fine." He sat back down. "You don't look fine." She coughed twice and looked down. "I'm deathly afraid of needles." She confessed. "Really?" he asked. She nodded. "Why? It doesn't hurt all that much." "I don't know. I mean I know they don't hurt. Not really. But they do." Her breathing got fast. He chuckled. "That's not very Gryffindor of you." She smacked him with a pillow. "Bravery isn't being fearless. It's about facing your fears." He rolled his eyes. "Well congratulations, you get to face them tomorrow." She hugged the pillow tightly. He stood up again to leave. She looked up at him. "Thank you, for everything." He nodded. "Just don't think that this leaves this room." He said strictly. "No," she shook her head, "No of course not." Though her heart sank a little. "See you around Granger."

She had strange dreams that night. But at least she didn't have a fever. When she woke up her head felt heavy. She struggled to sit up. That's when the cough consumed her. She thought her head might explode. She had to blow her nose. Thank goodness the tissues were within arm's reach. Then she remembered Pomfrey would be here any minute. With a needle. Goosebumps spread across her body. She set the tissues back down on the table. Right next to the empty bowl of soup. She smiled. She was glad she could have seen the soft side of Draco Malfoy. She imagined not many did. But why he chose to show it to her she had no idea.

When Draco woke up he felt weird. He had hardly slept at all. He couldn't stop thinking about Hermione. He had actually helped her. Successfully. And she was grateful. No one had ever needed him before. And he kind of liked the feeling. Being able to do something for someone. Then he remembered Hermione would get her blood taken this morning. And she would probably freak out. He kicked the covers off and got dressed quickly. Maybe if he was there she'd be less nervous. As he buttoned down his shirt he stopped himself at the last button. What was he doing? Why would his being there change anything? He didn't know her. They weren't friends. This wasn't his job. What did he care if she panicked or not? He did the last button. He just did, he reasoned.

So he rushed (though he'd never admit that he rushed anywhere, especially for someone like Granger) to the hospital wing. And there she was, sitting propped up on a pillow, head tilted back and eyes closed. She looked like she was taking deep breaths. "I hope you're not thinking about everything that could go wrong." He said.

That deep voice echoed through the wing. Only one person had a voice like that. She opened her eyes. "What're you doing here?" "Figured you'd have a heart attack without me." He smirked. "I can manage." Her voice was a little shakier than she had intended. He gave her an incredulous look. Madam Pomfrey came in, carrying the needle, and Hermione seemed to shrink in her spot. Pomfrey noticed Draco, but said nothing. "Give me your arm, dear." Hermione reluctantly extended her left arm. Draco pulled up the chair he sat in yesterday and folded his hands on top of the sheets to watch. Medicine was always so fascinating to him. If he had the choice, he'd become a doctor. But his father would frown upon a decision like that.

Madam Pomfrey sanitized the injection site and prepped the needle. She grabbed Hermione's arm and Hermione turned her head away. She shut her eyes tight and with her right hand held tightly to Draco's resting on the sheets. Draco was surprised, but he didn't recoil. He stopped looking at the blood and looked down at their hands. Hers was so small in comparison to his. So fragile next to his. He unfolded his hands and took her small right hand into his own. Like a weird sandwich. He couldn't help but smile.

She opened her eyes and looked from the pile of hands to his eyes. And she saw that he was smiling. At _her. _And for a weird moment, it was just them. "Ms. Granger." "Huh?" she looked at Madam Pomfrey. "You're all set dear." "Oh." Hermione looked at her arm. It was already bandaged up and everything. She looked to Draco once again. "Thank you for coming." She said. "You're welcome." He pulled his hands away. "So when do you get out of this joint?" "When Pomfrey gives me the green light. Hopefully tomorrow." She blew her nose into a tissue. Draco nodded. "Well, um," he cleared his throat, "When you get out, I was wondering if I could treat you to lunch?" He squinted, as though he were unsure of what he just said.

"You want to take me," she coughed, "take me to lunch?" He could only nod. "We could make plans on how to destroy the Won Won. And," he cleared his throat again, "Maybe you can tell me why your favorite color is green." She nodded, twirling a tissue in her hands. "I'd like that very much Draco." His lips shaped into a smile that showed off his teeth. "Great, I'll see you then Granger." She smiled and nodded. After making sure she didn't need anything else he got up to leave. She watched him walk out of the room and then let her head fall back onto the pillow. The more she slept maybe the sooner tomorrow would come. And she could get out of there. And she'd have her lunch date with Draco Malfoy. She couldn't help but smile.


End file.
